Certain embodiments of the present invention generally relate to improvements in electrical connectors and more particularly relate to multi-sequenced electrical connectors that include lead frames.
Various electronic systems, such as computers, comprise a wide array of components mounted on printed circuit boards, such as daughtercards and motherboards, which are interconnected to transfer signals and power throughout the systems. The circuit boards are joined through electrical connectors. Typical connector assemblies include a plug connector and a receptacle connector, each of which may house a plurality of electrical contacts or wafers. An electrical wafer may be a thin printed circuit board or a series of laminated contacts within a plastic carrier. The electrical wafers within one connector may allow a daughter card to communicate with another daughter card through a backplane. Alternatively, the wafers may be mated in an orthogonal orientation obviating the need for a backplane.
Typically, electrical traces are etched onto the electrical wafers. The electrical traces permit high-speed transmission of data signals. However, when it comes to carrying power, distinct power blade contacts are utilized within a connector. Power blade contacts are often configured as lead frames. The lead frames typically include a plurality of contact points. For various reasons, the contact points of the lead frames may be sequenced such that one or more contact points in one assembly of the connector, such as a plug assembly, interface with corresponding contact points in the other assembly of the connector, such as a receptacle assembly, before other points of contact. For example, typically it is desirable to have ground contacts contact each other before signal contacts.
Electrical connectors have been proposed with sequenced lead frames, that is, lead frames with different mating levels of contacts. For example, one contact point may be at a first mating level or depth within the connector, while other contact points may be at different mating levels. Typically, each different lead frame sequence is manufactured separately. Therefore, if a lead frame having three mating levels of contacts is used within a connector, a total of twenty-seven different lead frame sequences are possible. Consequently, twenty-seven different lead frames typically must be stamped, blanked or otherwise formed and inventoried to accommodate the total number of lead frame possibilities. Additionally, twenty-seven lead frames require additional stamping, die tooling and set-ups, resulting in a higher cost of production.
Thus, a need exists for a more efficient system and method of manufacturing lead frames of varying contact sequences. Additionally, a need exists for an efficient, interchangeable lead frame configured for use within an electrical connector. Further, a need exists for a flexible lead frame design configured to create multiple mating levels for an electrical connector from a single or reduced number of lead frames.